Search

Jamaican lottery scam ringleader pleads guiltyNews Story
A Jamaican man accused of masterminding a lottery scam that defrauded dozens of mostly elderly Americans out of millions of dollars has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, and a federal prosecutor says more defendants in the case might do the same. Lavrick Willocks, 28, reached an agreement with federal prosecutors in North Dakota earlier this month and appeared in court Thursday to enter his plea. Prosecutors dropped 65 other counts of wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Willocks faces
Jul 28, 2017, 10:25 am - Lottery News

Lottery rigging accomplice used Wisconsin payout for offshore tax scamNews Story
After Robert Rhodes collected a Wisconsin Lottery jackpot that had been rigged by his friend Eddie Tipton, he used the windfall for an investment scheme that produced another wave of undeserved government money, court records show. Rhodes, an accomplice in a scandal that has shaken state lotteries, recently explained under oath how he used the $783,000 payout to receive an additional $180,000 in bogus tax refunds. The Texas businessman sent his lottery winnings offshore to buy a phony insuran
Jul 6, 2017, 6:53 pm - Lottery News

Maine loses Powerball, Mega Millions during state closureNews Story
After Saturday night, Maine residents will not be able to purchase some multi-state lottery games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions, until the state shutdown ends, state officials announced Saturday. At convenience stores in Portland on Saturday, a bright red screen flashed with Breaking News near cash registers, letting customers know that they had until 9:30 p.m. to purchase Hot Lotto tickets and 9:50 p.m. to buy Powerball tickets. Mega Millions and Lucky for Life stopped being sold on F
Jul 2, 2017, 9:12 am - Lottery News

N.J. Lottery remains operational during state closureNews Story
By Todd Northrop Even though the New Jersey state government has closed due to a budget impasse, the state lottery remains fully operational. During the closure, the sale of all games offered by the New Jersey Lottery will remain available for purchase. The game drawings for all online games offered through the Lottery, including Pick 3, Pick 4, Jersey Cash 5, Pick 6, 5 Card Cash, and Cash4Life, will be conducted, posted on Livestream and aired on television, PHL17 and PIX11, as per sta
Jul 1, 2017, 12:23 pm - Lottery News

Iowa Lottery promises to work harder to stop cheatersNews Story
Iowa Lottery officials pledged Tuesday to tighten security of lottery tickets and bolster efforts to obtain restitution from persons convicted of lottery-related crimes. The officials detailed their plans at a meeting of the Iowa Lottery Board in Clive, where they responded to allegations that security problems persist in the state-run lottery because of a failure to fix weaknesses spotted years earlier. A recent investigation detailed cases of Iowa retail employees stealing lottery ticke
Jun 28, 2017, 8:26 am - Lottery News

Network of dummy online stores used to hide internet gambling paymentsNews Story
A network of dummy online stores offering household goods has been used as a front for internet gambling payments, according to a recent investigation. The seven sites, operated out of Europe, purport to sell items including fabric, DVD cases, maps, gift wrap, mechanical tape, pin badges and flags. In fact, they are fake outlets, part of a multinational system to disguise payments for the $40 billion global online gambling industry, which is illegal in many countries and some U.S. states.
Jun 26, 2017, 6:55 am - Lottery News

Pa. seniors worry expanded gambling will hurt lottery proceedsNews Story
A bill passed in the Pennsylvania House would allow casino-style gambling in airports, veterans halls, and truck stops. Now, seniors are worried if it were to become law, that less lottery money would fund programs for the elderly. They are not the only ones who are concerned. There are 18,000 people in the state who are employed by casinos like Mohegan Sun in Plains Township. Opponents of the bill say those jobs could be cut if it were to become law. The bill to make electronic games o
Jun 22, 2017, 7:55 am - Lottery News

Illinois lottery players may lose Powerball and Mega Millions at the end of JuneNews Story
Legislation's refusal to deliver balanced budget threatens to cut off popular multi-state games The association that runs the popular Powerball lottery and Mega Millions games will drop Illinois at the end of June without a budget agreement. Concern over the state of Illinois' fiscal condition prompted that decision by the Multi-State Lottery Association, according to internal Illinois Lottery communications. Illinois Lottery spokesman Jason Schaumburg on Thursday morning confirmed that
Jun 15, 2017, 3:52 pm - Lottery News

Kentucky Lottery hires new CEONews Story
The Kentucky Lottery Corp. board voted Tuesday to approve Gov. Matt Bevin's appointment of Tom Delacenserie as the new president and CEO of the state's lottery. He has been CEO and secretary of the Florida Lottery since November 2015 and fills a post that has been vacant for nearly a year following the retirement and subsequent unexpected death of longtime Kentucky Lottery CEO Arch Gleason. Delacenserie is 68 years old and will start work in Kentucky on June 5. He was raised in the Green B
May 23, 2017, 3:02 pm - Lottery News

Critic calls a Mississippi lottery 'new tax' and 'false hope'News Story
Slams his aunt for sending lottery tickets for birthday gifts rather than cash The following is a column written by Jameson Taylor, the vice president for policy at the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. It is presented here as an example of how lottery opponents feel they should be able to decide how you live your life, the type of entertainment you should be allowed to enjoy, and how you should spend your money. Every year my aunt sends me $5 worth of lottery tickets for my birth
May 21, 2017, 12:19 pm - Lottery News